DESN2003 | Research for Innovation

Group/Interview Project, Analytical Writing and Finalizing Methodology

Hongshan Guo

Group Project Example

Already posted on Moodle and here
Quick walk-through lookouts:
- framework
- contents that are expected
- just an example so not the final ‘solution manual’ that you will need to follow
- typical length that is expected, so nothing major
- demonstrates how you have leveraged techniques learnt in this class to investigate problems at hand
Let’s take a quick look

Why there’s a Group/Individual (interview-based) Project

Practicing Research in non-academic setting
Reaching out to people with some predetermined agenda
Attempt on additional insight by taking in first-hand primary data through interviews
Something that wasn’t possible with existing framework on your more ‘academic’ research
Opportunity to collect data and synthesize insights
Recognize and celebrate the inherent bias that you bring in

Pros and Cons: Working as a Group vs. Individual

Working as a group, you will:
- Get a chance to reach more people thus expanding your professional network
- Write a smaller portion of the overall report on findings, however in the meantime
- losing control over showflow and
- unable to push the conversation in desired directions, potentially leaving questions unanswered.
Working as an individual, you will:
- Reach more people (unlike previously which was per-person level) and expand professional network further
- have more control over how the conversation goes and ask questions that resonates more with you,
- free to manipulate the formation of your final group report to be more consistent with your vision yet
- less likely to get more positive answer to do a sit-down interview, even a zoom-based one and
- write the full report on one’s own and coming up with all questions that you’ll want to ask

Make your pick according to your liking.

Descriptive and Analytical Writing

Essense of Analytical Writing

What do you know about analytical writing?

Understanding the pivotal role of analytical writing in design.
Differentiating between descriptive and analytical approaches.
Exploring the impact of analytical writing on research and design outcomes.

Differentiating the two

Descriptive Writing:
- Focuses on the “what.”
- Provides a straightforward account without interpretation.
- Example: “The user interface contains a navigation bar at the top.”
Analytical Writing:
- Delves into the “why” and “how.”
- Interprets data, identifies patterns, and evaluates significance.
- Example: “Placing the navigation bar at the top enhances user accessibility, aligning with established usability principles.”

Output after careful thinking process rather than a recount/paragraphrasing.

Why should anyone try to learn/work with analytical writing?

Any obvious benefits?

Informed Decision-Making: Enables designers to base choices on thorough analysis rather than assumptions.
Effective Communication: Facilitates clear articulation of design rationale to stakeholders.
Problem-Solving: Assists in identifying user pain points and developing targeted solutions.
Continuous Improvement: Encourages ongoing evaluation and refinement of design strategies.

Knowing the what, how do we enahcne analytical writing skills?

Just a few helpful tricks:

Engage in Active Reading: Critically assess texts, identifying key arguments and evidence.
Practice Writing Regularly: Analyze case studies, write reflections, and seek feedback.
Seek Diverse Perspectives: Consider multiple viewpoints to enrich analysis.
Utilize Frameworks: Apply models like SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to structure analysis.

Activity: Identify the Writing Style

We’ll go through several examples. For each, determine if it’s descriptive or analytical. After your response, we’ll reveal the correct answer and discuss.